


Latte Heart

by gosshawks



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Drabble, F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-15
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-23 13:28:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14935160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gosshawks/pseuds/gosshawks
Summary: Prompt: "I brought you your coffee."Muriel is a regular customer at the cafe the apprentice works at, and she isn't too sure what to make of him. But she is sure she likes him.With my apprentice, Kate.





	Latte Heart

He was a regular at the little city cafe with good light and kombucha and oat milk and a variety of exquisite little pastries. At least, Kate thought he was. When he came in he filled the space impossibly, being so huge and wearing all dark colors. He’d shuffle over the counter to order in a voice just above a mumble, and then…when he sat down, he seemed to disappear. She always had trouble finding him, and ended up looking around the not-very-large shop for a minute or two before finding him sitting at his table. It was such an odd thing. 

This was the predicament she found herself in at the moment.

She’d heated up the almond croissant, made the latte (she was an expert hand at this, as it was the one she’d always get for herself) and topped it off with a lovingly drawn heart in soymilk. He was a little strange, maybe, a little antisocial, but he was kind. And _very_ handsome, after all. With his tasteful scars and green eyes and shaggy black punk hair. 

Kate squinted around at the tables, eventually saying uncertainly, “Um,” she checked the name on the receipt, “Muriel? I have your coffee, a medium latte with—” When she looked up from reading the label he was standing directly in front of her, waiting patiently. 

“Thank you,” he said in that low, rumbling voice. She offered him the mug and plate with a flustered smile and large hand laced with fine scars took them with care. Muriel always moved like he was afraid he would break something. Shuffling, looking around before moving anywhere to make sure no one was in the way. He went back to his table and set his things down with the tiniest tink of ceramic on wood. 

She looked at his receipt in her hand, and felt a sudden and utterly unfounded rush of confidence. Grabbing the pen from her apron, she scribbled furiously on the back before coming out from behind the counter.

“Oh, um—one more thing,” Kate said as she came over to him, offering it. “My number. If you want to go out sometime.” He took it, read it, and looked between it and her, clearly confused.

All at once he went bright red, seeming to almost panic. “I, um,” he stammered. “…I don’t have a phone,” he admitted. 

Kate struggled to suppress a laugh, not a mean sort, or because it was funny he didn’t have a phone, just…the poor thing was so worried. She took out her notepad and wrote in it with a gentle smile. “Okay, well, here are the hours I’m working this week. If you want to come see me and set something up or avoid me, it’s up to you,” she teased, tearing it from the pad and setting it on the table. 

“O-okay,” he said.

“I’m Kate,” she said. 

Muriel nodded at her, still a bit shellshocked, and she winked at him, then went back behind the bar to clean.

Every now and then, she felt his eyes on her as she swept. Some time later, maybe half an hour, she turned around him to find him waiting at the counter. It was incredible how someone so huge could move so quietly. 

“Hey—…is there something you need?” 

Muriel watched her intently. Not aggressively, or even in a wanting kind of way, just…like he was willing himself to get the words out. “…Thursday at eight. I’m free.”

Now it was her turn to struggle to get her words out. “I…eight’s good. Where—?”

“Wherever you want,” he said, then immediately corrected himself, “that…that isn’t too expensive. Sorry.” 

“We can go Dutch,” she said, smiling. “There’s a Vietnamese place around the corner that’s really good but not too fancy.” 

He nodded. “Yes.” 

“Good,” she said. “…I’ll see you then. 

Muriel nodded again, and she could’ve sworn she saw a hint of a very, very pleased smile before he left.

Kate spent the rest of the day floating. 


End file.
